Instrument-board panel and lighting construction



Aug. 4, 1925.

P. J. KENT INSTRUMENT BOARD PANEL AND LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I Phi/X0 J5me; A2772 g 1 ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1925.

P. J. KENT INSTRUMENT BOARD PANEL AND LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 7, 1924 2 Shee s-shee 2 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP JAMES KENT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO CHRYSLER CORPORA- TION, OF HIGHLAND PARK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

INSTRUMENT-BOARD PANEL AND LIGHTING CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 7, 1924. Ser al No. 724,694.

T all whom. it may concern Be it known that I. PHiur JAMES KENT, a citizen of the United States; and resident of the city of Detroit, county of \Yayne. and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Instrumerit-Board Panels and Lighting, Construction, of which the following is a specification. reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide an instrument board panel wherein all the instruments are centrally rouped in a removable unit and wherein a ighting construction for the same is provided in such a manner that no direct rays from the light will strike the faces of any of the instruments and so that the light will be diffused so as to equally illuminate all the instrument faces.

It is a still further object of my invention to so construct the instrument board panel that light from the illuminating means contained therein may be diffused downwardly on the outside of the panel, so as to illuminate the floor board of the automobile in which the panel is placed and permit illumination of such things as transmission ltll'kS. and the like, usually contained on the floor board, on adjacent parts of the automobile.

\Vith theabove and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of .ny improved device as described in the specification claimed in my claims find shown in the accompanying drawings. in

which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improxed construction.

Fig. 2 is a like view with the cover plate of the panel removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 8 2) of Fig. 2 but with the cover plate in place.

4 is a rear elevation of the cover plate. i Fig. is rear elevation of the panel.

I haveshown a casing 5 consisting of a vertical portion of oblong foritlation having a continuous forwardly extending rim. Mounted in the vertical portion, or back of the casing 5, by means of a plurality of screws or bolts 6, extending through ears in the securing plates 8, are a plurality of in.-

struments. designated generally as '4': said instruments consisting in this instance of a speedometer. odometer. gasoline tank. heat indicator. oil gauge and an'nnctcr. A plurality of cars 9. having apertures there in. are provided around the edges of the panel 5 for securing it to the instrument hoa rd propen.

A cover plate consisting of a securing rim 11. a plate 12, having a plurality of openings 13 therein, and a glass face 14. is secured over the forwardly extending flanges of the casing 5, the glass covering 14 being held ,in place betweentheedge 15 of the rim 11 and the plate 12 by means of screws or rivets 16, extending through the edges of the plate 12 and the rim 11.

The plate 12 is provided with a. pair of re'arwardly extending flanges or shields 17, shaped to conform with the formation of the two upper central instruments shown. A. shield 18 extends forwardly from the cusxtending into the casing 5 and mounted 'in the rearward projection 19 thereon is an electric bulb 20, which may be connected through the wiring 21 to a. suitable source of electric current such as a storage battery. The plate 12 is so positioned as to provide only a small clearance between it and the faces'22 of the various instruments and the openings 13 in the late 12 are so positioned that the various aces of the'insti'mnents may be read therethrough.

, The instruments are so shaped and posi' tioned in the casing that a suitable s ace is provided between the openings in p atelf}, for placing the name, trade-mark orenr b1em'23 of the maker thereon to pmducepn ornamental effect.

The'shields 17 and 18 ositioned as the are around the light vbul and the e jacent instrument faces. prevent direct rays of light froin the bulb being directed over the instrument faces and cause the li ht to be difl'used upwardly (although a smafi portion thereof will pass downwardly between the shields) so that it will spread through the casing and give an illumination of substantially equal brightness to all of the instrument faces. This illumination consists of a soft, even glow which has no glare.

Directly over the light bulb, or other source of illumination 20, is provided a frame 24, secured to the casing 5 by means of screws 1.3. in thi frame is disposed a small piece of glass, or other transparent material i'ti. thus permitting a certain amount of light from the bulb, or other source of illumination 2). to escape from the casing 5 therethrough.

ecured to the top of the forwardly ex tending rim of the casing'f", directly above the frame, .23. by means of screws 2?. is a small downwardly curred deflecting plate 23. whi h will cause the light rays passing; through the glass or Shield i i. to be deflected d wnwardly so as t illuminate the Hour hoard or other desired prutions outr-i(l( of easing 3. where. such illumination is desired. lly l(2t. ()l1 of this detleetion, this additional light will likewise be indirect as to not blind the driver or produce an undesirable ctl'e t.

l have found it desirable to paint; the metal. or other substances used in the shields and easing. againstwrhich the light rays will he directed. in white. so as to make of them better reflecting surfaces. I

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement. combination and constructiou ot' the various parts of my im proved evice without departing from the spiiit of my invention. and it is my intention to corer'by my claims such changes as may ll( reasonably lncluded within the scope thereof.

'hat I claim s.

1. A device of the character described. conu'irisiug a casing, a plurality of instruments therein. a source of illumination in said casing. said source being positioned rearwardly of the instrumentfaces, an ap; erture plate over said instrument :t'a. s, and. shields so positioned. to cooperate with said plate to deflect direct rays of light from the faces of said instruments and at. the same time diffuse sutiicient light to illuminate them.

.3. A device of the class described, comprising a casing. a plurality of instruments therein. a source of illumination disposed between two oi said instrumei'lts and below the top of the same, shields disposed between said instruments and said source. adapted to deilect direct light rays from said source and means permitting light from said source to he dill'used indirectly over the faces of said instruments.

1). device of the class described, coniprising; a casing. a plurality of instruments therein. a souree of illumination in said casing. a cover plate for said casing tlu )ugh which t t'aces of said instruments may be seen. shields on said cover plate extending rearwardly therefrom adapted to at least partially deflect. direct light rays from said source of illumination away from the faces of said instruments.

4. A derice as ch: raeterized in claim 2, wherein an opening is provided in said casing adjacent said source of illumination, whereby light may pass through the same out of said casing, and a deflecting shield positioned in the path of such light. adapt.- ed to deflect indirect rays to a desired point outside said casing.

PHILIP JAMES KENT. 

